Chronicles of the Abyss: Cast Shadow of Brutality
by Lady Kniv3s
Summary: The Ceremony of Awakening is upon us. The young heiress to the Abyssal throne must ready herself for the events to come: pain, and bitter betrayal.
1. Prologue

_Prologue_

The twin moons hung high in the sky on this night, like two ghostly galleons sailing their way through a sea of stars. Light shone in from the magnificent oak double doors, which opened out onto a large, silver-white, marble balcony. Blood red was the color the twin moons shone. This was no ordinary night. It was the night that the true heir of the throne was born.

That night held an awkward silence, though it would not be lasting for too much longer. The preparations had been made. Now, it was time for all plans to be played out. Tonight, the true power of Darkness would be unveiled. And tonight, the beast which had been dormant for so long would be awakened.

A dark-looking girl, not but fourteen years of age was relaxed, eyes closed as she laid back in a tub of steaming water. She was to bathe before the ceremony, to look her best. A servant had been sent into the room to help bathe this young lady, and she did not protest. After the servant was done bathing her, she had told him that she wished to be left alone. Her mind and body were stressed.

Markings on her forearms and midriff could be seen. The two on each of her forearms were black, tattoo-like markings, coiled into 'S' shapes with four dots spaced apart above the top and bottom curves of the snaked line. The one on her stomach was a simple swirl, traveling from the bottom of her midriff, up, and then curled inwards from the left. These were demonic markings, something she was born with. Something that confirmed the existence of the true heir to the ancient throne of the Abyss. These markings only appeared on this night. Her birthday. When the twin moons of her realm, as well as any other's bled red.

Tonight, she was not at peace. Her soul was unsettled, and she had the feeling that something was wrong. Nevertheless, she stood up from the grand basin of scorching water, and the liquid streamed down the curves of her body. It's luminescence shown as she moved, the morbid light of the moon's casting their bloody gaze upon the young woman's body.

Dark eyes, like two puddles of oxygenated blood traveled across the room, slitted, demonic pupils adjusted to the amount of light in the room. They soon came to gaze upon the bathing room's doorway, where Eclipse stood silently in waiting. She gently grabbed a towel from a nearby bench, wrapping herself in its inviting warm, softness.

"_It's time, My Lady._" Eclipse's calm, smooth, and soft tone sliced through the silence.


	2. Chapter 1

_Chapter One_

A strange silence arose between the two, before Knives' eyes met Eclipse's. Ria, the servant which was behind Eclipse, made her way up and around him. A long black and flowing dress was held in her hand. It was strapless, and had a satin strip at the top where it would hold the dress on Knives' body, and keep it from slipping down. "This is what your father picked for you to wear." His soft voice once more broke the silence. He received a faint nod from his Lady, who stepped forward. Her gaze was averted to the dress. It was beautiful. It was one of the only dresses that had been given to her throughout her life.

Not a single word crosses Knives' lips, she was in a grave mood, but it was sure to lighten sooner or later. "I shall leave you to dress then, my lady." Eclipse spoke shortly before slowly turning and leaving the room. Ria stayed behind to dress Knives, and moved over to the soon-to-be Lady of the Abyss. "May I have the permission to clothe you, my lady?" the servant asked in a soft tone, her voice silent and modest. "Yes, you may." Knives answered softly, her voice monotone and bland. Ria nodded, moving closer. The young heir let the towel fall from her body, every inch of her body, her smooth, flawless, pale skin being looked upon by the twin moons, which still hung so menacingly in the midnight blue sky.

Her skin was illuminated by the bloody light of the moons, and Ria was put into awe at the magnificence of the young lady's body. The servant regained her composure, and silently made her way behind Knives. "Once I hold this down, I'd like you to step into it." the demonic young servant spoke softly, once more referring to the dress. Moments later, the servant had dropped near the ground, feeling her lady step into the dress. That was the signal to gently drag the dress up, over her ankles, calves, knees, thighs, up over her hips, stomach, then finally over her chest.

After having slipped it up all the way, she began to fasten the small, metal clips on the back of the dress, which started at her lower back, and traveled all the way up to just below her should blades. Then, Ria went to work on Knives' hair, running a brush through her ebony locks. The young lady's eyes were closed, and she was in a meditative state. The servant brushed out any knots in her lady's hair, and made sure that ever factor of her appearance was flawless. "You look breathtaking, my lady." Ria's voice cut through the air. They were in front of a large vanity mirror, and the servant could see herself from behind Knives.

Knives gazed at herself in the mirror for two long minutes, examining every curve of her body. She had truly never been this dolled up so much. "You clean up quite nicely, Knives." Eclipse's soft tone rang out in her direction, causing Knives to focus on him, behind herself since she was in front of a mirror. He was right behind her, dangerously close, though it didn't bring her any discomfort. The Royal Advisor ran his fingers through her hair, smiling a handsome, calm smile. "As beautiful and as charming as your Mother..." He murmured silently under his breath, "But as dangerous, elegant, and as powerful as your Father..." His smile lingered, before his expression faded back into that of tranquility and calmness.

"Now, is the time for you to rise to your proper place. I knew it all along my dear. I have been waiting for this day for decades." He spoke as if he was her father himself, a certain proudness was audible in his tone. After all, he was the one who basically raised her from birth. _'It is a shame that Raenef had to go off and kill Natalia. She didn't deserve to die.'_ This thought lingered in Eclipse's mind as he let Knives' raven locks slip from his fingers and fall back into place. "Well, m'dear, we should be making our way to the temple right about now." A pleasant smile graced the Royal Advisor's lips as he looked down upon Knives.

"Of course." Knives cooed softly. She had always loved Eclipse as a daughter would a Father. He was more of a Father than her biological father himself was. She turned slowly and gracefully on her heel, before stepping into a pair of black, tie-up sandal-like shoes. She strands which held the sandals on criss-crossed up her shin. They were made of silk, and were cool against her skin. She pulled up her dress a bit and set some of it on her knee. Then, she bent down to fasten the silken straps across her shin, and over her shapely, muscular calves.

Eclipse had long been in the Kingdom of Solaris, well over countless centuries had passed, leaving Eclipse as old as time itself. As far as anyone knew, he was immortal. Though all knew that he was by Raenef's side in the Apocalyptic Hagmata War. He and Raenef were Historic Warlords. Merciless both on the battlefield and off. Eclipse was a strange type of demon, and had no specific class, though he was most definitely vampiric. It was rare in these times to have a Vampire/Demon, and it was however, not frowned upon. Infact, many Overlords sought to have Vampiric power themselves.

She stood up and looked up at Eclipse, who stood at least a foot or two higher than she. Eclipse offered her his hand, and she gratefully took it. She stood herself up. "Are you ready, m'lady?" he asked silently as he looked down at Knives, who looked up at him calmly. "Yes, of course." Her voice sounded softly. Her expression was more tranquil now. She had calmed herself in the wake of Eclipse. He had always brought her a certain comfort, which she couldn't explain; it was something that allowed her to relax when he was near.

They began to make their way out of the bedroom, then into the hallways and corridors, where they kept a slow but steady pace. They were on their way to the Temple of Verexiz_ (Vare-eggz-eez)_ (Translation: Temple of Blood), where only ancient ceremonies were held. The temple was made of stone, a flight of downward stairs meeting you at its mouth. The stairs took you deep, deep down below ground, into a crypt-like room. Beyond the room was a large ceremonial chamber, benches where the Elders sat, as well as a large glyph in the very center. The floor beneath was a rare form of Obsidian-Marble, which was a practically unbreakable substance because of how it was created.

The temple itself had been around for eons, and still stood sturdy as it had all the years before that day.

Eclipse had creamy, pale skin, and pitch black hair, that traveled all the way down to his behind. It complimented his skin quite nicely. His hair was also as silken as Knives', and as taken care of as hers as well. His eyes were Ruby, as deep as any fiery pit of Hell. Each and every time he would look at someone, it was as if he was boring holes straight into them and into their soul. His gaze was intense, and few people could withstand the ferocity of it. Knives however, had become accustomed to it. Infact, she was absolutely fascinated with those eyes of his.

He was clad in a gun-metal grey robe, which flowed behind him as he walked. An earring of Gold dangled from each of his ears. This was something he always wore. Knives also had a golden earring of her own, personally gifted to her from Eclipse himself. The only difference was she had only one, which hung from her left earlobe. It was a thin golden bar, which dangled down, which at the bottom a golden cresant moon hung from. On the bar were engravings in the ancient Abyssal language. Knives was taught how to speak, as well as write in it fluently. However, the letters engraved upon that bar of hers, she did not know what they were. Eclipse hadn't taught her anything about these type of symbols and phrases. When she asked him to tell, he never did. He always just smirked playfully and said, "I'll tell you when the time is right." It was always the same answer, and it bothered young Knives to no end.

After about ten minutes had passed, they arrived at the back palace gates, which led to the dangerous and menacing forests of the abyssal city, Solaris. For a quick arrival to the temple, Eclipse used a form of transportation that he called _'Flitting.'_ He took hold of Knives' hand and smiled charmingly at her, before a pushing sensation held them both in place for about two seconds. Once it stopped, Knives' hair fell back down onto her shoulders. Their bodies had disappeared, and then reappeared a few feet away from the temple's entrance. Knives looked up at the stone entryway of the temple, not really impressed at its bland appearance.

The Royal Advisor looked down fondly at Knives, his expression calm, and his eyes to match. His soul was at unrest, though he didn't know why. He once more took Knives' hand in his, and wordlessly led her down to the very depths of the Earth.


	3. Chapter 2

_Chapter Two_

With each twenty feet down they traveled, the air got thicker. Not just more dense in general, but filled more with the scent of old blood. The stairway was lit on each side of the walls with torches holding flames that sat and danced on the crowns of the sticks like gypsies. Knives' senses seemed to extend more here. She was extremely aware of her surroundings. Not too far off, she could hear voices. It was the voice of the Elders, and the ever-so-recognizable voice of her Father.

After making their way down the stairway, they had found themselves in a large room. Beyond this room was the chamber, where the ceremony was to take place. Knives looked around her, then forward into the chamber. It was large, and for the most part poorly lit. As they approached the chamber's entrance, Eclipse could see the Elders all seated in the benches/stands, and Raenef, standing before the Elders. Their speech immediately ceased once the Royal Advisor and his Lady entered the large hall. Raenef turned on his heel, and each of the Elders averted their gaze to Knives and Eclipse.

"Ahh. Knives, there you are." Raenef's gruff but sensuously smooth voice filled the air. Knives looked silently over to her Father, moving a bit slow at the moment. This place made her uncomfortable. It made her feel as if she was contained. "Hello, Father." Knives spoke in a soft tone, which almost held no emotion whatsoever. "Not too enthusiastic are we?" Her Father spoke once more. He didn't seem as grave as everyone else. He was in light-spirits. This was quite unusual for how her Father usually acted around her. It was almost as if he was proud or something.

The Elders looked as blank and as old as ever. There was nothing to suspect but her Father's behavior. Knives took no mind to it as she looked at Eclipse from the corner of her eye. _'Hmm...'_ she thought silently to herself. He seemed to be feeling as strange as she was. Of course, they did share a special bond of sorts. Maybe it was just all in her mind--then again, maybe it wasn't. "Knives._ Knives._" her father called, noticing the strange look in her eyes. She looked over at her Father calmly, as if nothing had happened. "Yes?" she asked.

He gave her a peculiar look, before retaining his former calm/serene expression. "We'd like to get started soon." his tone was silent, soft, and as smooth as ever. "I'm ready when you are." said Knives. She put a bit of fake excitement in her voice to bring down the slight suspicion that her earlier actions roused.

One by one, the elders stood. They all looked over at Raenef. "At your command." The Eldest of them spoke up from the front left row column of the benches/stands. There was a certain look in Raenef's eye that no one caught but the specific Elder, which was the leader. His name was Blanc (Blawnk); he had been in this group of Elders since long before even Eclipse himself. Eclipse, of course, despised each and every one of them. They were sly, and quite cunning. Stuck up, stubborn. Just--_Old._ He had never liked them in the first place. They

were a secret, "wise" society, and he didn't like secrets.

Raenef ushered Knives to the center of the chamber, where an assamite (Assamite: An Abyssal design carved deeply into a solid surface for ceremonial purposes. It is usually circular, and each symbol carved serves a special purpose, either related to magic, or marking a sacred place.) was. It was carved deeply into the obsidian marble of the floor, lined on the inside with Iron. Knives eyed this strange symbol for a moment, before feeling her father nudge her forward at the small of her back. She gaze over at her father, before she saw the Elders make their way over to the assamite in their own strange grouping. Each of them held the heavy, slow accent of Solaris, and spoke with almost a hiss at the end of each word. Knives moved forward at her Father's nudge, then watched as the Elders gathered in a circular formation around her.

Lined at the Assamite's curves, all around, they gazed inwardly at the young woman. She stood still, not minding their eyeful looks. Raenef stood beside Eclipse, who was leaning against the closest wall. "Anything wrong, Eclipse?" Raenef's voice sliced through the silence. The Royal Advisor was gazing intensely at Knives, not taking his eyes off of her. "Of course not, Sire." Eclipse replied in a monotone voice. "Is this not exciting?" the Ruler spoke in Knives' general direction, though the question was directed at Eclipse. "Quite, sire." the immortal replied blandly.

All of the Elders were looking at Knives, before their eyes suddenly closed in unison. A vicious silence gripped the chamber at this, and no one dare spoke a single word. They had given her no directions, no explanation whatsoever. She gazed from face to face, reading absolutely nothing from their expressions. For a moment, she felt the threat of panic arise within her, but pushed it quickly to the back of her mind. She took in a deep breath, calming herself slowly but surely. Raenef silently watched his daughter with ease, a calm smile gracing his pale lips. He raised his head up a bit as he looked at her, sizing her up. She was almost a flawless copy of him, but in certain ways, she reminded him of Natalia, Knives' mother. His former Mate.

Eclipse looked a bit strained. There was a look of worry in his eyes that he only let show because no one was bothering to look at him. An overwhelming feeling of dread came over him, before it seemed to fade away. Something definitely wasn't right here. His deep-ruby eyes slowly came to gaze upon Raenef, who seemed as calm as ever. _'What is he up to..?'_ he thought with a hint of venom. He had been around this scum long enough to know that he was a sly bastard.

Claustrophobia seemed to slowly take young Knives hostage, making it feel harder to breathe. She took in a soft gasp of breath, then held it in until her lungs felt as if they were about to burst. She then released the breath, waiting for something--_anything _to happen. _'This doesn't feel right. Something about this doesn--'_ her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden speaking in Abyssal tongue by Blanc. The others spoke in sentences after him. One by one, until all thirteen of them had spoken their piece.

She couldn't recognize the words they spoke. The language sounded similar to that of her Native, but it was more guttural, and more deeply spoken. It made a chill run down her spine, though she suppressed the feeling as best she could. A miniscule tremor racked her entire body for a moment, and she could feel a pressure rise across her body. _'This must be their power. Well it's not mu--'_ She was cut off from her thoughts once again, this time, the air was sucked out of her for about fifteen seconds. Her lungs had felt on fire for that short fifteen seconds, but she couldn't scream. Another soft gasp escaped her lips, and she panted for a moment before regaining her breath.

The Royal Advisor, who had seemed to calm, yet so tense about jumped his feet as soon as he saw Knives begin to struggle for breath. False alarm. Raenef's eyebrows furrowed, as if to say: _"Get on with it already!" _If anyone had seen that look, it would have given confirmation to any suspicion. Blanc opened his eyes, and gazed over at Raenef and Eclipse, who remained leaned against the closest wall.

_"Malik bolivarus inholet unit, devistas polict."_

_(Maw-leak bow-li-var-us var as in varsity in-ho-leet oo-neet oo as in soon dev-iss-tawz po-leaked)_

**Translation:** "Bestow upon us the unholy power."

After these words had been spoken, a ton of weight pressed on every inch of Knives' body. Her knees felt as if they would buckle, and her legs as if they would give out at any moment. "This...doesn't...feel ri--" she spoke as she turned slowly, but was cut off as chains busted from the ceiling above and the floor beneath her. The freezing metal had snaked up and around her arms, shoulders, legs, waist, and chest.

_"Knives!"_

Eclipse sprang from the wall, only to be slammed back against it by no other than Raenef himself. The Eternal Ruler had his hand clenched on his Advisor's throat as he struggled, clawing at his Sire's hand. "You will not interfere!" Raenef snarled viciously at Eclipse, who continued to claw at his master's hand.

The icey cold chains which had bound Knives tightened, earning a harsh cough and a loud choke from the young demon. She struggled violently, making the chains rattle and grind. Her breathing was studdery and shallow. _"E--E-c—c..." _she stuttered. She couldn't finish. The chains were too tightly wound around her chest. Eclipse's eyes widened as he gazed listlessly at Knives, seeing her lips move, trying to call out to him. "Forgive me..." he whispered hoarsely under his breath, his claws still digging into Raenef's hand.

Each of the Elder's eyes opened simultaneously, the surface of their eyes illuminated with a luminous black coat. Their blank eyes seemed to be focused ahead of them, at Knives; but truly, they were now face to face with Oblivion.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

A low chant began from all thirteen of them, their tone blank, yet menacing at the same time. She felt nothing. Nothing was happening. 'What are they doing?' She thought to herself weakly, her eyes once more examining each of their old, wrinkled faces. Struggling once more, she felt the chains tighten yet again. After choking for breath from getting the air knocked out of her, she looked straight in front of her, to see her Father holding Eclipse against the wall by his neck. Her Father looked just about pushed to the point where he was going to kill something. "Fah-!" She gasped dryly. "Father…Stop!" She managed to call out.

Raenef looked behind him, feeling Eclipse beginning to fade away into unconsciousness. He snarled at Eclipse before dropping him, all the while sending Knives a blank and unfeeling stare. She looked back at her Father with a hateful glare, clenching her fists tighter than needed. She felt blood trickle down from her palms, but seemed to be oblivious of the pain. Weakly shaking her head, she averted her gaze to Eclipse, who was crumpled upon the marble floor, his golden earring still swinging a tiny bit. He was going to wake up soon, but what could he do? Raenef was sure to stop him from getting to Knives.

The Elders had not stopped chanting, but their voices were steadily growing louder as time passed. She had been in these chains for a grueling two hours, but still nothing had happened. She didn't take her eyes off of her Father, who had closed his eyes, and had seemed in some sort of trance. Eclipse stirred slightly, his fingers twitching. Raenef's eyes snapped open. He reached down, jerking Eclipse to his feet. "You meddle one more time, and I will have your head." The Overlord growled, letting go of his currently dazed Royal Advisor.

Eclipse stumbled backwards a bit, catching himself by pressing a clawed hand flat on the marble floor behind him. His eyebrows furrowed as he looked up at his Sire, before he took notice to the chanting. It was louder than it had been before, but it seemed as though nothing had happened; at least not to Knives. He was grateful that his Lady was unharmed. Picking himself up, he once again kept his gaze locked on his young apprentice. The dormant power of this place was slowly being drawn out. He remembered feeling this when Raenef, as well as all the Rulers before him had been awakened.

This seemed different somehow. More power than normal was being summoned. It suddenly hit him. 'Could it be that Knives' power surpasses all others?' Eclipse mentally questioned himself. 'No wonder the chains are necessary…-' He cut himself short on that thought. His expression became stern as he looked towards Raenef. 'No. It is for another reason. Raenef is afraid of her!' A low, but inaudible growl escaped his throat as he came to this realization. A half-smirk tugged at the pale lips of Eclipse. 'The Fool is going to get himself killed.' He mused.

"Knives…" The vampiric demon attempted to break the mental barrier of Knives. "Dammit." He murmured, glad that Raenef wasn't paying him any mind. He knew the bastard was up to something; he just couldn't quite fathom what it was. 'I will do everything in my power to save you…I swear to you on my life.' He promised inwardly, hoping that by some sort of miracle she heard him. Raenef was watchful now, periodically glancing over at Eclipse. Once or twice the Overlord sneered or snarled at him, to remind him of the earlier threat of death if he tried to interfere. Eclipse kept his poker-face on; of course, it wasn't as if Raenef intimidated him. This was a matter of either making idiotic moves, or playing it out the smart way.

The relentless hold on Knives hadn't budged, not like it would anytime soon. There was still plenty of work to be done. A silent cry of pain escaped the young woman's lips as yet once again, the chains tightened. They were digging into her skin, slowly tearing into the once flawless flesh across her body. Eclipse held himself back from heaving his body forward, though moved forward one step, triggering a guard from the door to grab hold of both of his arms and hold them behind him. The young heiress' mind was taken over by the pain, her head drooping as the chanting continued. The echo of it had stopped inside of her mind. Periodically, her body was racked with tremors; the chains rattling indistinctly. Eclipse could do nothing but watch now, his will refusing to be worn down. 'I will…not let him take you from me…'

Slowly it seemed as though the life was being drawn out of young Knives, causing her tensed muscles to relax. This left her to hang limply from the chains. She was becoming more drained with each coming minute. Thoughts of dread flooded Eclipse's mind as he gazed upon the bloodied body of his Lady, which was nearly motionless, though it swayed from her earlier movements. Blood streamed from her wrists, arms, midsection, legs, ankles, and shoulders; anywhere the chains had a vigorous grip. The young heiress remained unconscious, the unnatural black blood puddling beneath her. Eclipse winced as he felt the power begin to build, the unwavering immensity almost frightening as he shook his head. His gaze became stern as he watched silently, contemplating. Blanc watched with blank, ivory-white eyes, his body plagued with trepidation. It was the power. It consumed him, all fear of the young woman vanishing. A wicked smile crept upon the Leader's lips as he felt the various energies and auras begin to mingle and intertwine. The assorted powers were beginning to merge into even larger portions, until finally it became one. The large assembly of power continued to strengthen, the chanting that was once words becoming long hums at different chords.

Each of the Elders raised their heads to gaze into the center of the temple, where the assemblage of power was. Their gazes were filled with fear and surprise, but faded back into that blank, unreadable seriousness which Eclipse began to detest. He had observed them over the centuries of being in contact with them, and could basically read their mood and mindset from their demeanor and facial expression. There was fear in their eyes, he could see it; smell it,[i] feel it. Raenef seemed to gaze in discreet wonder at the massive power that they had summoned. Urging one of the many guards to him, he whispered something along the lines of, "In about thirty minutes, we must leave and seal this place away for eternity." Eclipse observed the severely confused expression upon the guard's face, wondering just what it was that had disturbed him so. A grave look adorned the Abyssal God's features as he rested his sights upon his chained up daughter. 'Feh. She is not my daughter.' He scoffed inwardly, his conscious' sense blocked by the Ruler's iron will. 'She will be forgotten and I will continue to rule.' Something dawned over him. 'What if…I somehow could contain her power and take it for my own.' The excitement and greed took him over as this thought consumed him, a wicked smile now tugging his lips back as he sneered in Eclipse's direction. His eyes shone with madness as he opened a telepathic connection with Blanc. 'Finish quickly. We must drain her of her power and contain it. We must go soon. Make haste!' He urged with a demanding tone. Blanc's pupils became slitted, the iris white while his pupils remained pitch black.

Each one of the Elders, especially Blanc, knew that they were tampering with an ancient and deadly power. They understood what danger they were putting themselves into, but right now they could hardly care. They were overwhelmed with the lust for power. For more of it. They wanted to be shrouded in it, to taste it, smell it, feel it, [i]be it. A low hum began to emanate from the center of the temple, the assamite beneath the unconscious young woman beginning to glow a dark violet. The spell had reached its climax, and the time for Raenef's escape was growing near. Eclipse gazed at the glowing symbol beneath Knives. 'It is usually dark red…Something has changed.' The Royal Advisor pondered, unable to figure out what was wrong. Nevertheless, he counted up the possibilities, figuring that the color change was most likely due to the rich abundance of power. Nodding the slightest bit to assure himself that he was coming to the correct conclusion, he was caught off guard when he noticed the guard that had taken hold of him before had let go. He hadn't gone completely though, and set a large hand on Eclipse's right shoulder. "My Lord wishes us to now leave." The silent, gruff voice of the guard sounded. Eclipse shrugged the heavy hand off of his shoulder and gazed back at the demonic being from the corners of his eyes. "Damn what the mad fool says, he is trying to kill my lady." The ruby eyed demon hissed at the guard, seeing the guard gaze at him in disbelief. 'I have no doubt that isn't his intention, but he will have my head if I do not do as he orders.' The guard responded telepathically, wishing for Raenef not to hear these words of betrayal from him. The Royal Advisor gazed at the guard in disappointment. 'And to think, I thought you were a far better person then that.' Eclipse responded, his eyes closing serenely. "I will not move a step from where I stand." He whispered, his tone grave and hushed.

"Forgive me, but I must do this." The guard's tone was solemn as he spoke, slipping his hand to the side to pinch the nerve on Eclipse's neck that would render him unconscious. Eclipse slapped the guard's hand away, viciously snarling at him. "Do [i]not place your hands on me." Raenef gazed in his advisor's direction, flicking his write at the guard in a gesture of impatience. He took his chance and made a dash toward Knives, but was caught by the throat by no other than Raenef himself. A clawed hand reached up to scratch and grab at his captor's clenched hand. Eclipse was frenzied as he looked toward Knives, reaching his arm out and letting his fingers extend and spread in her direction. "Knives…" He whispered hoarsely, his eyes closing half-way as his oxygen was being cut off. He was beginning to lose consciousness. Soon coming to the realization that he could do nothing to help her, he arched his body and bucked. Raenef gripped harder, easing Eclipse into nothingness. A single tear escaped the fading advisor's eye, the clear, crystalline substance slowly slipping down his pale cheek. His hand began to fall, his energy and perception slipping away in unison. He then fell to the marble floor in silence, his ebony locks spilling around his head like a dark halo. The guard that had pursued him before bent to one knee and gently scooped the fiery eyed advisor into his arms, making his way up the stairs. Once out, he flitted back to the Palace and delivered Eclipse to his own personal quarters.

The hum gradually became louder, making the obsidian-marble floor and stone walls begin to vibrate. One by one, each of the Elders snapped back into reality, their eyes slowly fading back to their normal hue and their pupils dilating. The amount of light in the chamber was now limited, the strongest source emanating from the ancient relic beneath Knives. A strange, bright, toxic-violet colored miasma hissed up from the deeply engraved lines of the assamite. "We must go." Blanc murmured in a tone laced with worry as he gazed at Raenef in concern. The Elder Leader had become anxious to escape this place, for he now realized that what they had done was in all probability one of the worst mistakes possible. The low hiss of the miasma became a furious rumble as it swirled and billowed, slow and menacing to those who bore witness. It somehow seemed alive; popping, hissing, and twitching periodically. The miasma seemed to be surveying the heiress, sizing her up, like some mysterious, wicked predator about to bound and go in for the kill. Raenef nodded, sensing the immense amount of power that was momentarily dormant begin to stir. 'It won't be for long…' He thought, turning on his heel and heading for the staircase. Before he started his ascent, he turned his head to give one last glance at Knives. A small tinge of remorse hit him as he turned away from her and took his first step up the stairs. He shook it off and from there to the time he reached the palace blocked any feelings from distracting him.

The Elders were the last to exit, for they were the ones who were in control of this. They were to seal the chamber, leaving the soon-to-be-forgotten heir of the abyss there for eternity. Raising his arms above his head, Blanc closed his eyes, his fingers outstretched, palms flat toward the ceiling. He murmured a few foreign words, hearing a loud click, followed with a thunderous boom. Then came the gritting sound of stone sliding against stone. He let his arms fall to his sides before he dashed for the exit. "Quickly my friends! We must travel far away from this place as we can. We must never return to this chamber for as long as we all live." He and the others dashed quickly through the doorway up the staircase, hearing the grinding slide of stone as massive doors that weighed tons closed with a boom behind them every four meters up they traveled. The booms sounded like unremitting waves upon a stormy shore, making the narrow staircase tremor and shake. After about ten minutes of running, they made it out. The surrounding area was deathly quiet. The Realm itself seemed off-balance, as though it had a feeling something was about to happen. Blanc gazed at the open entryway, smoothing his fingers over a few of the engraved phrases on the right side of the entrance. He whispered a few words, the door shutting, chaining itself, and throwing up a various amount of barriers on top of and around the chamber as a whole. The league of ancient beings momentarily flitted back to their temple, immediately beginning to chant and summon their own prayers and enchantments of holy protection.

The silence within the chamber was deafening. It was enough to drive one mad. As for Knives, she hung lifelessly in the chains, blood dripping periodically to join the large puddle beneath her. Each drop was like a pin hitting marble, though amplified and resounding.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

It was four hours passed midnight, and the young heiress was slowly being drawn from her unconsciousness. Soon, the power would be forced into her body. Everyone had left, and she only remained. The chamber was pitch black and silent, the only possible noise being the shallow and almost soundless ebb and flow of Knives' breathing. There was no way now of tracking how long she had been there. For all she knew, it could have been days. Time seemed to drag on at a sickeningly slow pace, making a second seem like a minute. Dark eyes snapped open, a feverish breathing echoing off the walls. Her body was practically numb, the blood still dripping from her. She could see nothing but darkness all around her. It was as if the chamber had been shrouded in a black cloud. 'Where has everyone gone…?' She thought weakly, her breathing barely slowing. Adrenaline was pulsing through her veins, and her heart raced for all it was worth. She struggled a bit, a large wave of pain washing over her. An ear piercing scream was eased from her lungs, tears stinging at her eyes. Her breathing became stuttery for a long moment, her eyes closed tightly and face contorted in pain.

The breath hitched in her throat, and she could suddenly feel her body again; along with all the pain. She could feel everything, but couldn't make a single sound. A neon-violet miasma burst from the cracks of the floor, shrouding the room, and then was sucked back into the ground. She sensed a new presence, something unlike anything she had ever felt before. Its power was enormous, and she had no knowledge that something this powerful could ever come to exist. It had undulating movements, and its power came in strong waves that brought forth a blast of wind, like the fiery breath of hell. There was no scent, and no aura to read. 'Perhaps it is not a creature at all...' The power came rushing forth at full force, and collided with the chained heiress. A scream of pain boomed within the chamber. One, lone, loud scream. It had blasted right through her. This was no creature; it was an entity of mind-boggling proportions. The Darkness itself.

It was coming straight back, and this time with more force. The second collision caused the whole chamber to quake, the scream louder this time. Her veins felt as if they were on fire, and every bone in her body broken. Her body convulsed, and her eyes snapped wide open, streaks of black staining her cheeks. Her eyes were no longer dark crimson. The surface had been covered with a luminous black coat. Her body became perfectly still, and her expression emotionless, as if her mind and body were both void of feeling. She could feel nothing, see nothing. It was as if she had been taken over. But Infact she had, the Darkness had consumed her every being. A transformation was slowly taking place within her. The Dark Soul that had been dormant for so long was being awakened.

Again and again the screams were ripped from the young woman's throat, making it feel as if it were about to blood. The cool sensation of blood never came, and the screams continued to come forth from her like the flames of a fire. She could feel something crawling beneath her skin, seeming to rip apart her muscles strand by strand. It felt as though the threads of her body were slowly but painfully being unwound like a spool of string. After what seemed like hours, the power finally began to gather within her chest. It made her feel as if she was going to explode at any given moment. Oh, but this was not the plan. What was laid before her was much more complex. Her mind was blank, over taken by the pain. Not a single thought flowed through her mind. It was almost as if time had stopped. Moments continued to pass, and the energy soon finished accumulating within her. With one last gasping breath before the last scream, she choked, her breathing stopping right then and there. Not but a minute passed when the screams came back. But there wasn't one scream; there were two, as if there was someone screaming alongside her. There now was.

The screams overlapped, echoing off the ancient marble walls of the chamber. It then suddenly came to a stop. Her body became limp, eyes fluttering closed as the young woman faded into a coma-like state. The power disappeared, forever gone unless summoned again in the future. A loud grinding noise sounded, followed by eight large booms, one after another. Slow dripping then followed, and then the sound of what seemed to be rushing water. After a long drop, the substance smacked loudly against the marble floors of the chamber. It flowed from all eight of the now open holes which lined the high ceiling, spreading across the stone like a plague. It was the blood of the angelic guardians of Raesis, from all those years ago. Her Father had been barbaric enough to have it drained into large tanks that had been built into the temple months before the Hagmata war. He drained it from the angels that were even still alive, their mass grave still existing just above the temple.

The substance began gushing from the openings, nearly busting the stone walls from where it came. The room would be filled within a few hours, leaving the woman drowned and trapped within the blood until the end of time. She would become nothing but a once whispered memory.

As hours passed, the blood continued to flow, ending up just above the young woman's chest when she began to stir. The substance was shown as nothingness, though it's true appearance was like liquid mercury. It held the same texture, as well as the exact density. Its color was quite peculiar, a luminous silvery-blue that looked as if it was some sort of melted metallic substance. It constantly swayed in small waves, drowsy and slow. It gave off the temperature of ice, and caused the heiress' body to become numb once more. Slowly she was awakening, the pain dulling down to a vigorous throb that periodically racked her lithe form. Not only had there been a transformation within, but one on the outside as well No longer did she have the body of a young girl, but now an almost fully grown adult. Her broken features had become soft and elegant, though her current appearance remained horrid. Her legs and arms had elongated, and her body had attained curves like that of a goddess. One would say she had become the pinnacle of elegance, but also of absolute destruction and malevolence.

She soon had regained consciousness, her dark eyes slowly opening. Her slitted, snake-like pupils dilated, becoming thicker than normal due to the immense lack of light. Though she could not see a thing, her nose was overwhelmed with the scent of dead blood, and she could hear the thick substance swishing around her. She could feel just enough to know that the liquid was up to her chest, and that the level was still rising. The clapping noise of the liquid against itself made her wince. She could hardly feel her body, if at all, and she was slowly losing faith. Gruesome visions of the future filled her mind, but she had no choice now but to face the situation and take it as it came. At that moment in time, she was oblivious to everything that had happened. There was no room in her mind to possibly recollect any of it, or anything else for that matter. Memories of the past began to flow into her mind, urging forth emotions that she hadn't felt since the earlier years of her life; what most would call a "childhood." First there was anger, then hatred, and last sadness. Time seemed to stop for a moment, but that moment felt like eternity to her. Streams of obsidian began to roll down her cheeks, the sadness engulfing her mind in hopelessness. It fueled the fire within her soul, and caused her aura to spike.

The blood had risen to her neck, almost level with her chin. The stench which wafted through the air was nearly unbearable, causing her to choke in silence. She could taste her own blood, so bitter and metallic as it slipped between her pale, chapped lips. She gazed down without moving her head, not daring to let the blood come any closer to her face. She had come to the conclusion that there was no way out of this, but continued to remain calm. Eclipse's soothing words of advice echoed gently inside of her mind: "You must remain calm in all situations, and in most, be void of emotion…"

Her breathing remained calm and deep, her body lacking absolutely all movement. She would simply wait; it was all she could do now. There was no way of rushing or holding off the inevitable. There was no escape. Her vision was for the most part impaired, blurry and swirling from the lingering pain. There were spasms in her back, and even when she moved the slightest bit the sound of a pop or a crack would emit from beneath her skin, like new bones being used for the first time. Indeed they were. He had been fully reconstructed from the inside out within a span of days, perhaps even a week. There was no telling how much time had passed, and as of now it didn't matter. Without her seeming to notice, the blood had risen up to her lips, making her slowly ease her head back to keep the liquid from slipping between her lips or being inhaled through her nose. Her breathing had become shallow and soft, her chest barely moving with each soft breath she took. It soon rose up over her mouth and up to the bridge of her nose. Holding her breath, the young woman closed her eyes, beginning to become a bit frantic. She struggled in the chains, hearing them dully swish and clang in the surrounding liquid.

A large pulse discharged from her body, causing the blood to ripple and tremble around her. Her eyes snapped wide open, their surface illuminated with a black glow. A vicious primal urge came over her and she began to jerk and scream from deep within the ceiling-high blood. It was causing the temple to creak and groan, and the millennia-old walls quickly losing their strength. The temple would eventually burst, but it would not matter, for it would only take a matter of minutes for the heiress to drown. She continued to scream, deeply inhaling the blood each time she sucked in a breath, just to choke. Her eyes were still wide, pitless, and black; her body was beginning to give out. The beast had taken over and Knives was forced into submission, left unable to control any movement that her body made.

All of a sudden her eyes fell closed, and she became silent, her body falling limp. The chains slowly swung her lifeless body, causing the liquid around her to produce more force. Then everything was silent. A large boom, only heard within the area covered by the barrier shook the temple. The pulse from earlier had caused a tremor of great magnitude. It had caused a pillar in the chamber to collapse, sending the other pillars into a domino-effect crumble afterwards. The high dome roof began tremble, and small cracks began to etch their way into the ancient stone walls. This place was going to be destroyed within a matter of moments. The young heiress remained unconscious, the liquid rapidly filling her lungs.

A soft gurgling growl escaped her snarling lips, causing thick bubbles to accumulate and rise. Her eyes snapped wide open, every muscle in her body tensing as another, louder, feral growl passed her lips. It resonated as deafening as an amplified scream, furthering the damage and quickening the destruction of her entombment. A black aura burst forth from within her body, surrounding her as she screamed and struggled within the death-grip of the chains. The power of her aura doubled, cracking the busting the ceiling of the temple. Within one final flare of energy, the temple burst, the barrier around the temple canceling any sound out. The structure was blown to pieces, both by the liquid and the power that had come from the betrayed young woman.

Then everything was still.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Time seemed to be holding its breath, for there was no movement in this place for days. The stench of blood still wafted through the air, though now dead and dull. The young woman lay buried underneath an enormous amount of rubble, either unconscious or dead. Eclipse spent the days after this in solitary confinement, his soul weary and mind nearly broken. He found that there was no reason to live, but something inside of him told him not to give up. Perhaps his Lady was still alive, though beaten and broken just as he was. The fool Raenef would die, whether it took days, weeks, months, or even millennia for it to be accomplished. Regardless of if she was alive or dead things would never be the same. Memories flowed into his mind, plaguing him for days upon weeks. Her face was burned into his vision. He knew she would be forgotten by some, but not by all; especially not him.

Days has passed, perhaps even weeks, and suddenly within the barrier, beneath all of the massive fragments of building the young woman stirred from her coma-like state. Her body was numb, and she had been bled beyond the point of any regular being. Her dark eyes half-opened, but she was able to see nothing but pitch black darkness. It was impossible for her to be alive, but there no thoughts drifting around inside of her head. She didn't _feel_ alive. That one moment seemed timeless, as if time was slowly fading away. A dark whisper entered her mind, a combination of both her voice, and another's. It spoke in pure ancient Abyssal, the soft, mesmerizing words lulling her into unconsciousness once more. She lay naked and broken within the dark of the rubble, suffering from mortal wounds which would cause others to already have been dead. She woke a few minutes later, fully conscious and aware of her surroundings. The air was stale and dry, the dust around her billowing up as soon as she moved. Taking notice that she was still alive, the young heiress felt around the dusty, broken marble beneath.

A prick to her finger caused Knives to stop breathing for a moment, the ice-cold feeling of obsidian kissing her fingertips. She could feel the blood trickling down her wrists, smearing across the ebony blade upon which she had cut herself. "Kaokitsu…" she breathed. The sound of her own voice was foreign to her ears. It was a bit deeper; more mature, and smooth. Ignoring the change for now, she slid her hand down the center of the blade, her fingertips pressing against the harsh surface of the stone. The sword had been lodged between two large pieces of the deteriorated temple. Gripping the blade gently, a soft noise emitted from the back of her throat. It was still as sharp as she had left it. Blood flowed from beneath the now embedded sword, a soft scraping noise emitting from ahead as she eased the sword out. The sword caught on something and she was forced to jerk it, slamming herself violently into the stone behind. Choking softly, the young woman winced, the pain in her palms still fresh, along with the musky scent of her own blood.

The weak throb and ache caused Knives to groan softly, clenching her bloodied fists in the layers of dust and debris. 'I must find a way out…' She thought calmly, gazing around to find not a single speck of light. She felt as if she chamber had fully collapsed upon her, heavy and slightly drowsy. Shifting slightly, she lifted up the heavy sword, the back of her hands pressing against her chest as she continuously heaved the blade deeper into the stone. The wounds in her palms bled worse, the cuts becoming wider and the blood flowing more freely. Right now, pain was not an issue to her. There were problems at hand that were far worse that needed to be worried about. She gazed into the darkness in silence, a loud metallic sound, followed by the white flashes of sparks. As each of the sparks threw their light across her compact encasement, she could see the ruins by which she was surrounded. It was most definitely the temple. This conscious action gave her time to recollect what had happened, and caused the realization to finally come over her. Her Father had tried to kill her. No tears flowed from her eyes as she continued to thrust the blade into the crevice, but anger instead began to well up inside of her. 'After everything…everything I've been through just to live up to his expectations…' Stopping as the thoughts flowed freely through her mind, she stared into the nothingness before her. A boiling rage was slowly building, and the thirst for revenge began to eat at her from the back of her mind. It was as if there was someone inside of her, another conscious mind feeding her these murderous thoughts. Unbeknownst to her, there was. Snapping out of the binge of vicious thoughts, she gripped the hilt of the sword until her knuckled turned white. Then, heaving it from the stone, she began to hack away at it. Minute by minute she could feel it chipping away, the crack and tumble of larger pieces urging her to hit harder. She remained relentless in her blows, and within a half hour was able to force the two plates of marble apart.

Outside it was truly no different from the inside, and the barrier still remained, though newly discovered by Knives. She could feel the thin encasement,-however miniscule it had become-but the power signal was enormous. As soon as she had crawled from the debris, the palm of her hand came right up against the transparent barrier. She could feel it ripple against her hand, and as soon as her aura was recognized she was thrown into the many jagged rocks and marble behind. With a painful grimace the young woman fell from the stone to her knees, gazing in silence before her. She could see the thick forest around her, and the twin moons with their ghostly ashen light; they made the land bleed a few shades paler. Half-open, her eyes flashed dangerously in the light of the moon, her back arching gently as the chill of night ran down her spine. The soft sound of insects shuffling about in the world outside caused her elf-like ears to twitch, spidery bands falling in front of her eyes drowsily. She began to think of possible ways to destroy the barrier. She had just survived her Father's pre-meditated murder attempt, and the theory that anything was possible had been proved correct.

After gently dragging out her sword from within the small chamber in which she had formerly been, she slashed at the air, twirling the sword in practice and critique of her own skills. Watching before her at what seemed to be nothing; the heiress suddenly lashed out and struck the barrier, pushing forth in an attempt to force the sword straight through. Her sword was thrown straight back, sparks flying as it was embedded into a chunk of rock. Without delay, the woman heaved the sword out of the stone, stabbing it into the ground at her feet. 'I've had enough of these games, dear Father.' And with that thought she began a relentless attack on the barrier, flashes emanating from the layer's clear surface. Time and time again she failed, sweat mixed with blood splattered upon both her and the barrier. With one last attempt she was thrown back with her sword into the stone, eyes fluttering closed in violent serenity. Scratches adorned the skin of her back, unnatural obsidian blood leaking down her back.

From the corner of her eye she spotted a rock behind covered in some sort of black cloth. She immediately froze upon realization. It was the cloak her brother had made her only a year prior to his banishment by their Father. Stumbling slightly as she pushed herself from the rock and made her way over to the silken cloak, she found that it had gone unscathed, just as Sheeroo had promised. Gently tugging it off the stone and bringing the cool cloth to her cheek, she once more closed her eyes. "My brother, dear, loyal, loving brother…bestow upon me the faith and spirit to carry on." She whispered, holding the cloak gently in her slender, bloody, and bruised hands. A foreign, satin sensation upon her chin eased it up and to the side, a soft whisper echoing around her. "Always, little sister…" The silent, saddened tone of her brother's voice caused her eyes to snap open. Her heartbeat quickened as her eyes searched for him but did not find the font face that she yearned to see.

A strange feeling welled up inside of her chest, and she suddenly felt energized, as if that touch had shot a wave of energy through her. "Brother…" She breathed softly, a slight, but genuine smile tugging at her lips. Closing her eyes with Kaokitsu in hand, she lowered her head. She began purely focused on the barrier's power, ignoring all else. 'Just as he taught me, focus.' She drove inwardly. Her eyes fluttered open, the surface washed over black. With a soft release of breath she charged at the barrier, eyes widened upon the vicious contact made. The power of the barrier clashed with her own, causing bolts of wicked electricity to form between her body, sword, and the wall of magic which had continuously denied her access to the outside world. An atmosphere piercing, sonic-boom like scream erupted from her throat as she pressed against the barrier. Her heels dug themselves deep into the ground, eyes closing as the scream continued to ring out. The barrier trembled, rippling madly before flashing pure white. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, fluttering closed as her body became limp as she fell back onto the ground. The sword remained buried within the white dome of power, the barrier pulsating and screeching.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

As the young woman stirred in her sleep, sparks softly popped and crackled at the point where the katana met the barrier. With one last flash of light the barrier disappeared, the sword falling beside the heiress. Surrounding the young woman was a tall field of lemongrass; a type of plant that wouldn't dare let its roots flourish is the tainted soil of her home. One, large moon shone brightly in the mid-night blue sky, silver stars, like slivers of glass strewn about the sea sparkled from high above. Trees of many variations grew as they pleased within this place, truly as if they-themselves had chosen the spot with humane consciousness. There was a soft shuffle from the forest before her, and icy-blue eyes flashed from beside a dark oak tree. They observed the broken and nude form of the young woman, greedily taking in each bloodied curve. He blue eyes hesitated movement, for their owner had become weary of the unconscious girl. It was a strange and most exotic sight. They had simply stumbled upon her due to the spawning of a new power arriving within the area. Moving in silence, the being was revealed as a pale-skinned male in the moonlight, with raven hair and icy grey-blue eyes. His features were elegant, almost feminine in a manner, and he was slender, a black and crimson suit hugging his lithe form. He approached the young woman curiously and carefully, eyes tracing over the serene features of her face. 'Where did such a celestial being fall from?' he mused silently, drawing a hand out to brush a finger across a bloodstained cheek. 'Surely she is no divine being, for their appearance is much fairer.'

His eyes came to rest upon a black cloak clenched within her right hand, and a long katana beside the cloak. With a soft tug, the cloak was sipped from her fist, being examined by the stranger. "Mysterious…" He whispered softly, "Very…very much so." Momentarily the strange young man slung the cloak over the girl's body, the slipped her sword into his belt. He then scooped Knives up into his arms and began to walk in the Northern direction. Unknown to the young woman, she was being carried by one of the strongest existing arch vampires, Maximillion Thousands, The vampiric man was taking her to an ancient, abandoned cemetery, where hundreds of souls rested undisturbed. He came to a stop before an intricately designed crypt, and then began to walk down the countless white-grey steps of stone. The swirling case of stairs had torches hung from the walls every few feet down, throwing a cast shadow of Maximillion with the demoness against the wall. Within a few minutes they arrived with a pleasantly warm chamber, where he laid her gently upon a makeshift bed composed of many rich cloths.

There she slept for a few hours, her wounds healing slowly due to the recent mass exertion of energy. Her face contorted and with a soft moan of pain she awoke, her eyes opening to gaze above at the stone ceiling. Bangs were strewn messily across her forehead, the cloak which her brother had made concealing her nude form. The tear drop-shaped flame dancing upon the wick of a candle caused shadows to flicker across the walls, though her eyes came to rest upon a shadowed figure sitting in the corner. His head was lowered and the silhouette of half of his body and face could be seen due to the soft candlelight. She could feel his eyes upon her, becoming slightly at unrest. The feeling of this place told her that she was no longer home, and it made the foreign feeling become worse. He raised his head only a bit, allowing one of his blue eyes to bore into hers. "So you're awake…" His voice broke the silence, soft and smooth. As he watched her, feeling the fear and anxiety in her aura, a calm smile tugged back his lips. Deathly sharp incisors glistened in the dim light of the room, though the smile was not meant to be intimidating, it was. Knives was weak and had no weapon. Tensing, she turned her head to the side. Dead silence was delivered to the vampiric man across, causing his smile to widen. "I can taste your fear…" he whispered softly.

He was near her within seconds, traveling at inhuman speeds to reach her. Warm lips brushed against her jaw and she turned her head further. A soft, silent chuckle escaped Maximillion's pale lips, causing the young woman to tense even more. The feel of his breath upon her neck caused her to shudder in anxiety and disgust, her eyes closing tightly. "I am curious, from where did you come?" he whispered softly against her skin, causing her to shiver. He was once again met with silence. This caused a bit of adrenaline to run through his veins. 'Obviously defiant.' He mused inwardly. With a calm smile, he drug his lips down her jaw and to her neck, her breathing becoming shallow and stuttery. She was unsure of his motives, but those fangs of his answered her fears. He was a vampire. From the way he spoke, to his demeanor and utter closeness prove her observation to once again be correct. The rate of her own breathing increased as his lips parted, his breath hot and heavy against her neck. He pressed his lips softly to her neck, urging a soft gasp from her lips.

With as much strength as she could possibly summon, she pushed him off, taking in a deep, sharp breath of pain as she lifted herself from the bed. Her eyes were fixed upon the staircase as she made a sprint towards it, only to be caught in the arms of Maximillion. Her breathing remained uneven from the shock, but she jerked away from him and ended up with her back pressed against the cold stone of the wall. He held her there gently, his arms cradling her waist as the weakness in her knees caused them to buckle. He kept her up, whispering into her ear. "No, love…You will not escape me so easily." He smiled as he pressed his lips to kiss away at the sensitive skin. The breath of the heiress became feverish as she struggled, only to become limp at the feeling of his fangs sinking into her neck. A soft, choking breath escaped her lips as she became even weaker. Her claws gently dug into his shoulders, every muscle in her body tensing, then relaxing as he drank deeply of her.

Her eyes fluttered closed, her breathing falling to a faint, shallow huff as the blood was drained from her. A soft gasp of pain emanated from her damaged form as her pulse began to weaken and slow. It took only a few moments to have her drained of blood, delirious and dying Maximillion pulled away, gazing down at her half-conscious expression. "I can give you everlasting life and power…or I can give you death…" His voice was a soft purr as he drew a hand up to bite into his wrist. Dark crimson blood oozed from the wound, dripping down onto her bare collarbone. The scent of blood overtook her senses, and Maximillion tilted his wrist so the blood dripped onto her dry, parted lips. She could feel the blood spread across her tongue, the taste more sweet than bitter at the moment. With each drop, life whispered its way back into her; the vampiric man lowered his wrist, pressing it to her lips. The blood flowed freely into her mouth, the spark of life returning to her formerly dull eyes. With no real instinct but to live she drank from the man's wrist, her breathing steadily regaining its normal pattern.

Maximillion gazed down at the young woman with a smug smile upon his face, though traces of pain could be seen etched deep into his expression. 'As if a girl of such will would give up and die so easily.' He thought to himself, a slight hiss escaping his lips at the pain of her drinking so deeply of him. A soft growl emitted from the man as Knives gained enough strength to grip onto his arm gently, sinking her fangs deeper into his wrist. Easing his arm away, he pressed her gently to the ground. He was waiting for the transformation to begin, a long and painful process. Her eyes started to slowly close, a strange, burning feeling beginning to form in her chest and stomach. Maximillion could feel it begin, holding her down in preparation of a jerk. Her body jumped, eyes wide open in agony as she released a few gasping breathes before choking and coughing.

She shook her head, her body rattled with convulsing tremors as her inside went through yet another transformation. The blood felt frozen in her veins, her eyes closing as she clenched her teeth and clawed the vampiric man in the shoulders. A soft, short-lived cry escaped the demoness' lips as she continued to morph from the inside out. Her fangs elongated a few centimeters and thickened a few millimeters, leaving them buried into her bleeding bottom lip. Writhing and arching her back, the pain which had just come intensified, leaving her breathless. Her pupils became slitted, eyes closing tight in anguish. Maximillion simply watched, his eyes alight with curiosity. "It seems to be progressing quicker than the others…" he murmured softly as he pondered on the earlier thoughts of her possibly being some sort of divine creature. He once more silenced those thoughts, feeling her body suddenly cease all movement. Her eyes were wide open, washed over black and unblinking.

The man also froze, gazing in silence at the mysterious girl. "It is over?" he thought, examining the sharp incisors which now hung over her lips. As minutes passed she slowly began to relax, her eyes fading back to their normal dark crimson. All of the former wounds which had earlier been spread across her back, palms, arms, and stomach had healed without a single scar to be seen. He was impressed. Her eyes slowly closed, her hand shooting directly up to grip Maximillion's throat. His eyes widened for only a moment before he gently pushed her arm aside, eyes glistening with excitement. "How do you feel?" he whispered down next to her ear, earning silence yet again. "Mmm…" he cooed, "So this is how you thank me for the first I've bestowed upon you?" He purred softly. "Then so be it…mm?" She tilted her head to the side, eyes opening to stare straight into his. They were ablaze with a passion to kill, and he was the first target in her sight.

The Arch Vampire gently nipped at her ear, his chest pressed to hers and hot breath creeping down her neck. His lips caressed down her jaw line hear her lips, his icy-blue eyes closing as he pressed down harder onto her. She writhed a little, her eyes closed as well and head tilted away to the side. Raising his lips nearly to hers, he bit his lip, a drop of blood accumulating around his fang and dripping down his chin. As the scent of blood filled the newly transformed fledgling's nose she grimaced, growling softly to the side of his lips. Her own were pressed to the corner of his lips, her breathing becoming heavy due to the attempt to control the primal urge rising in her stomach. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before, like an addiction of some sort. Dark eyes half opened as she gazed blankly at the shadowed skin before her eyes, the temptation to bite down onto his lip and drink away causing her breathing to stutter as she attempted to push away the feeling.

With a single, slow movement Maximillion's lips rain across hers, the blood smearing across the silk-soft, pale surface. Instinctively she ran her tongue over his lips, the wonderful taste of his blood throwing her into a fit of euphoria. Her fists balled up in his clothing, a soft, low moan of disparity crossing her crimson-stained lips. "More…" she whispered in a near inaudible voice, feeling the cool, moist sensation of his lips once more brushing against hers. She bit down onto his lip, drinking of him gently, savoring the blissful, wine-sweet taste. He mildly pushed her off, hearing a soft growl of protest escape her lips. Knives seemed as though she was relaxed, content, and didn't have a care in the world. That wasn't the case. Her thoughts had become a maddened concoction of frantic thoughts. The beast within attempted to comfort her by allowing images of Eclipse to enter her mind. Knives was still able to consciously control her body and released another low, guttural growl. With one swift movement she delivered a heavy blow to Maximillion's jaw. Bringing his arms up to shelter himself, the arch vampire let out a vicious hiss. She watched him for only a moment, hearing a soft pop as his jaw popped back into place. Without hesitation the heiress bolted up toward the stone staircase, stumbling up the first few steps but sprinting up the rest with ease. She could hear Maximillion bellowing below, screaming and yelling in a foreign language. It echoed endlessly up and down the long tunnel, and as it did his aura began to approach.


End file.
